By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

Lindsey Jubina, a physical therapist from Portage, Penn., and a PhD candidate in the Rehabilitation and Health Sciences PhD program at UK, has been selected for the CCTS TL1 Training program.

“The TL1 Predoctoral Training Program in Clinical and Translational Science is a competitive predoctoral training grant,” she explained. “The program is designed to develop skills for a career in multidisciplinary clinical and translational research in health-related fields. It provides financial support for PhD graduate students with their tuition, stipend and travel funds to the Association for Clinical and Translational Sciences (ACTS) meeting. Being a part of this training program will allow for growth as a researcher and continued productivity as a future independent clinical researcher.”

And what did it feel like when she heard she’d won?

“I knew the program is competitive so when I was informed I was chosen, I was surprised and excited,” she said. “I want to be an independent clinical researcher and continue to grow through mentorship and training programs. The TL1 Predoctoral Training Program in Clinical and Translational Science will enhance my research skills, allowing me to successfully acquire extramural funding after completing my PhD in 2024. I am excited to be a part of this group and continue to enhance my skills.”

During the last two years in the Rehabilitation and Health Sciences PhD program, she focused on her research interests in classwork and collaborations, as well as her scientific skills and writing.

“My PhD program is interdisciplinary and promotes research between professions,” she said. “I have learned from my classmates as we discuss our research plans and methodology.”

Her research involves improving outcomes for ICU survivors by exploring how their social determinants of health impact their recovery trajectory after hospital discharge.  

“On top of that, there is a greater purpose to impact public health practices and policy adaptations with my career long research goals,” she said. “Everybody wants to better serve their patients, and we have to do that with evidence-based practice.”

And now, she’s officially a PhD candidate.

“I realize no one achieves anything without many people influencing and supporting them,” she said. “This chapter of my life has allowed for lifelong relationships and collaborators who see the value in my research and understand my passion to improve patient outcomes. I am more grateful than ever for my committee and many mentors.”